The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Russian’s Roscosmos are collaborating to send an unmanned mission Lunar Polar Sample Return (LPSR) to bring frozen soil samples from the Moon to Earth around 2020.
LPSR will use a robot to drill into the surface of the moon, either at the north or south pole.
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As the poles are permanently illuminated by sunlight, they offer an ideal condition for the robot to operate.
ESA official Bruno Gardini said researchers required a sample from the bottom of a non-illuminated crater, but this would be practically impossible with the existing technology.
The mission will use drill technology developed for the Europe’s ExoMars mission, which is scheduled to launch a satellite to Mars in 2016 and a rover equipped with a drill in 2018.
Samples of soil brought to Earth will be kept in a frozen state at -238° F as it may contain scientifically vital compounds, which could evaporate under normal atmospheric conditions.
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By GlobalDataBoth agencies hope that the LPSR mission when it begins in 2020 or 2022 will assist them in developing new technologies across a wide range of missions.
Discussions are also being held on Luna-Resource Lander, a precursor mission expected to launch in 2017.
It will test the visual navigation, hazard detection and avoidance systems, sample acquisition and analysis technologies required for the sample return mission.
